Confidence and momentum are the keys to Arsenal turning their season around.
History is littered with elite teams having disastrous runs, no team is immune and yet before, during and after those runs they have the same squad more or less, it is generally just the manager that changes.
What drags teams out of a rut is a single good win, in fact, it is not just elite teams this happens to. Take Leicester City the season before they won the league they almost got relegated and had to win seven of their last nine games to ensure their survival. The very next season they win the title with almost the same squad.
More or less the same players they go from a relegation dog fight to Premier League winners and it all started with a winner in the last five minutes against West Ham followed up with a 3-2 win away at West Brom thanks to two goals in the last ten minutes to overturn a 2-1 deficit. From that point onwards they took off.
That is all it takes, a good win and confidence starts to return and momentum takes off.
There is no telling when that could happen for Arsenal but I am confident it will do.
It could be Monday evening away at West Ham or even at home to Man City.
These are more or less the same players that played Spurs off the pitch in the second half earlier this season, the same team that held Man Utd at Old Trafford and never be kidded that United are there for the taking at Old Trafford.
Almost the same team that went on a 22 game unbeaten run last season and if anything, the squad has been strengthened since then.
It is clear that certain players have almost no confidence right now, Nicholas Pepe seems to be one, the central defenders and definitely Lucas Torreira.
They will be different players once a couple of wins are secured. It may get worse before it gets better but it will get better. It just seems that it never will, that is all.
Hope the light at the end of the tunnel starts from Monday evening. By the way Poch smiles when he is asked about the Arsenal job. He is currently holidaying in Argentina and is due back in London next week. Some bells ringing?
Love your upbeat message during all this doom and gloom.
The same way Conte “smiled” when asked about Diego Costa. Basically, “no thanks I’ve heard all this before what a load of tosh”.
It could be at West Ham this year or it could be in the championship next year!!!
Just by watching Arsenal, one can tell it’s not a confidence issue. Yes that plays a part, but our main issues are that the majority of the squad are simply not good enough for this level, they haven’t been coached in how to defend for about 10 years, there’s no structure, and we currently do not even have a manager!
It’s not as if we’ve been playing well in some fixtures without getting the rub of the green, because we’re getting battered by everyone! We’re so bad, that we can even make Watford, and Southampton look like Barcelona!
Our next three league fixtures: West Ham (a), City (h), Everton (a). I can only see us getting a draw at Everton, and even that’s likely to be a defeat if they appoint a decent manager. If we don’t appoint someone before Christmas, we’ll be in the relegation zone for sure.
Ah Third MAN, the more I read you posts the more I think we must be two identical twins separated at birth. What sense you write and how you get to thr point and the truth. We have , as you right,ly say, not had a proer defence for countless years and the whole culture of protecting our goal has been stupidly usurped byt rh mania to attack and play the so called beautiful game. Ironically the last several years of Wenger were as boring as hell and we had no real style at all We also had NO Defence either. Currently our so called and joke “defence ” is by a distance the very worst I have watched as a fan attending since 1958. It is a scandal that a key part of all succesful football clubs has been neglected , overlooked and wilfUlly cast aside like an old sock with holes,INSTEAD of doing what all great historic sides have done and built the team from the back. I despair at theidiocy and stupidity of the clubI have spent my life loving. God knows why, when we all have to watch the pathetic and useless clowns that call themselves “defenders” right now. Weep!
My typos are worse than ever, I notice. But, so what, is what I think!
I couldn’t agree more with what you’ve said. I find it amazing that some fans still don’t want a defensive coach, given our glaring weaknesses.
Twins conjoined by a pathological delusion and obsession for a man. Get a life you both.
And pray, who would that man be? If , as I assume, you mean eleven REAL MEN, not boys,, then yes, THAT is an obseesion that only fools do not share.
Normally i would agree but i think with this bunch, they are always one game away from disaster. We need a top manager, we need an injection and we need some stability.
AGREED, BUT MOST OF ALL WE NEED SOME PROPER NON CLOWN DEFENDERS AND SOME PLAYERS WITH GUTS.
What kind of logic allows us to think that by replacing an experienced and winning coach with an inexperienced one will help a team win games? Like it or not, Emery is an experienced coach with a winking track record… My point is that only by replacing Emery with a « more » experienced one will we see a change of fortune for the Gunners!
Part of the issue is that many people made up their minds about Emery a long tome ago. Once the team started having problems “everyone” became negative, blamed the manager, the team lost confidence and lo the rest is history. The “management” were effectively forced to make a hasty decision and have now gambled on FL.
I suspect that if an Arsenal “legend” had Emery results he would not have been hounded as much and would have been given more support.
Unfortunately, I also feel that many fans are unrealistic as they want the team to play free flowing attacking football and also expect a solid defence with what I believe is a subpar squad.
All were mocking Emery for the draw at Utd. The special one went there with a much better squad then us(based on their position in the league table) and lost? What do you make of that all you Emeryout chaps! Hang your heads in shame for abusing him when the players are trash level.The sacking of Emery has a silver linning, our players are exposed and Emery got a paid holiday.Shame on us as Brendon chose LC over us, Allegri prefers to be idle till June.Some want Poch, a man who never lifted silverware, seems like a good match as Arsenal will never win anything with this squad. Captain was scared of Watford and coach admits they were scared of Brighton.Can we ask the FA a favor and let the ladies team take over for the rest of the season?
Reading through some of the negative comments I’m almost convinced myself we will be going down this season. I will keep banging the drum until Rafa Benitez is appointed or we end up with some other appointment. This is for sure going to be the hardest season I can remember since Bruce rioch had the reigns, but can’t get behind people thinking we are relegation candidates. There is something deeply wrong at arsenal and while you may have the theory it’s the owners, it’s the players, it was arsene wengers fault etc a rookie manager isn’t the right approach for us now. Rafa has been there and done it, has a winning track record, works within a budget, gets teams organised, plays good football and can spot a talent. He doesn’t bring a big ego with him but would be a steady calming presence. Who else is out there that we have a realistic chance of getting?
Whoever is the coach, can we get the right first XI and the correct formation please? Put the best men on the pitch and not experiment with boys now. Bench Luiz & Sokratis and get Chambers and Holding to play at CB.
I disagree, i dont think the “boys” as you put it are any worse than the men who are letting us down. Arguably its time to put out some more of our young stars and coach them in a way that thay can learn to actually play the way a good coach can coach them. I want to se martinell, pepe, torreira, Gouendouzi, holding, chambers, Tierney, willock, saka, mavropanos etc given a go and coached to perform. We have give them a go and be patient for them to take this club forward, not back like the men are doing. What have we got to lose.
TACKLES no one tackles(properly)None of the wing/full backs could tackle a f***ing hot dinner.The midfielders just shuffle backwards allowing the opposition to get within shooting range.The centre backs what centre backs?HA.The strikers are on wings.The wingers are anywhere but the wing.
Full marks to Leno though being the only plus.Managers who couldn’t control a classroom of infants.Last but not least the dark arts side of football which all successful teams use to breakup attacks.
Well said VJ and Reggie.The solution to our current problems is to play the best players and not the likes of Luis, Sokratis and Mustafi.